Methods and system for camera-aided ultrasound scan setup and control

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for adjusting settings of an ultrasound exam based on monitoring of the exam with an optical camera. One example method includes acquiring images of an ultrasound exam via a camera, analyzing the acquired images in real-time to build a spatial exam model, and adjusting settings of the ultrasound exam in real-time based on the spatial exam model.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
 an ultrasound probe; 
 an optical camera; and 
 a controller storing executable instructions in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
 acquire ultrasound data via the ultrasound probe; 
 acquire optical image data via the optical camera; 
 analyze the acquired optical image data in real-time; and 
 
 adjust settings for operating the ultrasound probe based on the analyzed optical image data in real-time; 
 wherein to analyze the acquired optical image data in real-time, the controller includes further instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
 identify a user of the ultrasound imaging system in the acquired optical image data via one or more of an image recognition algorithm and a biometric algorithm; 
 identify a patient in the acquired optical image data via one or more of the image recognition algorithm and the biometric algorithm; and 
 identify a probe type of the ultrasound probe in the acquired optical image data via the image recognition algorithm; 
 
 wherein the optical camera is configured to acquire optical image data at a predetermined frequency, and to adjust the settings for operating the ultrasound probe based on the analyzed optical image data in real-time, the controller includes further instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
 build a user model of the identified user; 
 build a patient model of the identified patient; 
 build a probe model of the identified probe type of the ultrasound probe; and 
 track the user model, the patient model, and the probe model over time to determine exam actions via a spatial exam model, wherein the exam actions include freezing an ultrasound image, and to determine the exam actions, the controller includes further instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
 determine motion of the user via the user model; 
 determine a location of the probe relative to the patient and the user via the spatial exam model; and 
 freeze the ultrasound image responsive to the determined motion of the user indicating the user is still and the determined location of the probe relative to the patient and the user indicating the user is holding the probe on the patient. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user model includes skeletal tracking of the user to determine the motion of the user. 
     
     
       3. An ultrasound imaging system, comprising:
 an ultrasound probe; 
 an optical camera; and 
 a controller storing executable instructions in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
 acquire ultrasound data via the ultrasound probe; 
 acquire optical image data via the optical camera; 
 analyze the acquired optical image data in real-time to build a spatial exam model; and 
 adjust settings for operating the ultrasound probe in real-time based on the spatial exam model, wherein to analyze the acquired optical image data in real-time, the controller including further instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
 identify a user of the ultrasound imaging system in the acquired optical image data via one or more of an image recognition algorithm and a biometric algorithm; 
 identify a patient in the acquired optical image data via one or more of the image recognition algorithm and the biometric algorithm; and 
 identify a probe type of the ultrasound probe in the acquired optical image data via the image recognition algorithm, wherein the optical camera is configured to acquire optical image data at a predetermined frequency, and to adjust the settings for operating the ultrasound probe based on the analyzed optical image data in real-time, the controller including further instructions stored in non-transitory memory that, when executed, cause the controller to:
 build a user model of the identified user; 
 build a patient model of the identified patient; 
 build a probe model of the identified probe type of the ultrasound probe; and 
 track the user model, the patient model, and the probe model over time to determine exam actions via a spatial exam model, wherein the user model includes skeletal tracking of the user. 
 
 
 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the optical camera is mounted on a display device. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the optical camera is wall-mounted in a same room as the ultrasound imaging system. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the optical camera includes one or more visible light cameras, one or more infrared (IR) cameras, or a combination of optical and IR cameras positioned in one or more locations. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the optical camera includes a digital camera configured to acquire a series of images at a programmable frequency. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the optical camera is configured to output acquired images to the controller in real-time so that they may be processed in real-time. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the optical camera is calibrated with respect to a world coordinate system. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the settings automatically. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical camera is mounted on a display device. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical camera is wall-mounted in a same room as the ultrasound imaging system. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical camera includes one or more visible light cameras, one or more infrared (IR) cameras, or a combination of optical and IR cameras positioned in one or more locations. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical camera includes a digital camera configured to acquire a series of images at a programmable frequency. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical camera is configured to output acquired images to the controller in real-time so that they may be processed in real-time. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the optical camera is calibrated with respect to a world coordinate system. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the settings automatically.